China Bank

In 1920, a group of visionary businessmen, including Dee C. Chuan and Albino SyCip, founded China Bank to serve the needs of Chinese-Filipino merchants in Manila. Operating on the principle of *xinyong*, or trustworthiness, the bank quickly established itself as a key financial partner for the community. The playbook was simple: provide modern banking services to an underserved, yet enterprising, segment of the economy. The bank demonstrated its resilience early on. Just seven years after its founding, in 1927, China Bank became one of the first companies to list on the Manila Stock Exchange. This move signaled its ambition and solid fundamentals even before the Great Depression. The bank survived immense challenges, including the Second World War, during which it was closed and later reopened in 1945 to play a vital role in the country's post-war reconstruction. A key turning point came in 1991 when it acquired a universal banking license, allowing it to expand its services significantly. This set the stage for growth through strategic acquisitions, including Manila Bank in 2007, which became China Bank Savings, and later Unity Bank and Planters Development Bank. These acquisitions expanded its network and reach into the small and medium-sized enterprise market. Today, China Bank stands as one of the largest private universal banks in the Philippines, a testament to over a century of stability and focused growth.